By Shruti Sunderraman
Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi went out on an incognito “Suraksha Round” at midnight on August 19 to gauge how safe women are in the night. But in her mission of making ladies log safe-safe, she forgot a primary road safety device – the helmet. When Twitter users pointed out on her slip, she chose to defend her move by stating it was “careful choice” to not wear a helmet.
https://twitter.com/thekiranbedi/status/898882355632394244
Not wearing a helmet is a “careful” choice? An irony, if any. So we thought we will persuade her with our own brand of careful choices – a playlist of songs that encourage her to wear a helmet. Are you listening, Ms Bedi?
1. Kaala Patthar: Ik Rasta Hai Zindagi
When Kishore Kumar croons through a happy-go-lucky Shashi Kapoor motorbiking through the woods (without a helmet, the bad boy), it’s almost like he’s trying to tell himself to be careful on the road of life.
2. Dharmam Thalai Kaakkum: Dharmam Thalai Kaakkum
This beautiful song from the 1963 movie of the same name has the late Tamil filmstar MG Ramachandran shelling out some pearls of wisdom about duty and life. He sings ‘dharmam thalai kaakum, thakka samayatil uyir kaakum’ , which means ‘your duty will protect your head, and at the right time, will protect your life’.
3. Aamir: Chakkar Ghumyo
The day I watched this movie, I knew Amit Trivedi (the music composer) would be someone to look forward to. This was Trivedi before his magnum opus in Dev D. Chakkar Ghumyo is possibly one of the freshest compositions in Trivedi’s commendable lineage of work. It talks about running in circles and circles (like Puducherry’s circles) and how it can get confusing and dizzying on urban streets (and in life).
4. Pyaasa: Sar Jo Tera Chakraye
Pyaasa has a fair few gems, but this particular piece by Mohammad Rafi possibly the most innocuous and gentle. While the song may be mischievous, we need to be less mischievous for our sar to not be dizzy on the road.
5. Dumb Ways To Die
When Australian Metro Train Network released this safety video back in 2012, it was the cutest thing on the internet. But it’s also a very endearing song. The animated characters demonstrated (happily) all the dumb ways there are to die. We’d like them to add not wearing a helmet as one dumb way to die.
6. Soundgarden – Head Injury
If Bedi won’t listen to us, here’s hoping she’ll listen to Chris Cornell when he warns ‘My hands on my head, there’s permanent damage’. We don’t want no permanent damage on our roads.
7. Lootera: Zinda Hoon
This downright heartstring tugging song is a great for when Ms Bedi wants to reflect on the gratitude for life. Try not crying a little, we dare you. But just saying, zinda hoon yaar, kaafi nahin hai. Wearing helmet is more kaafi.